This is gonna be harder than I thought. I usually watch tv while I ride my stationary bike. Last night went to absent-mindedly turn it on before remembering at the last second that I'm not watching tv this week.

The whole idea is pretty stupid unless you are a parent trying to raise your child not to depend on TV. That's the only case I see for this. Most likely the real majority of people participating are the sort that have their thumbs up their anus and go around telling everyone how they don't watch tv because it's brainless fodder for drooling idiots, instead they go to the cinema - where inevitably they watch the latest michael bay film and hail it a masterpiece. Sometimes they read novels instead. Novels like the latest harry potter novel, you know, real high art type stuff.

You want to take control of your tv viewing habits? Buy a tivo and watch tv when you have time instead of waiting around for the show to start at 8. Problem solved.

So, does this preclude me from watching a DVD on a television set? How about a DVD of a television show? Spent the weekend and last night watching all of the episodes of Firefly. It was pretty good; wish there were more.

Just in case this doesn't qualify as breaking the rules, I also watched the last 10 minutes of the Canucks-Stars series on CBC. No way in hell I'm going to forego watching the Stanley Cup playoffs.

TAsunder wrote: Most likely the real majority of people participating are the sort that have their thumbs up their anus and go around telling everyone how they don't watch tv because it's brainless fodder for drooling idiots, instead they go to the cinema - where inevitably they watch the latest michael bay film and hail it a masterpiece. Sometimes they read novels instead. Novels like the latest harry potter novel, you know, real high art type stuff.

Quite a strawman you've created there, TA.

Most likely your the sort who's so threatened by any criticism of your 'lifestyle' that you have to manufacture insulting, demeaning and childish stereotypes on which to project your anxieties.

bluethedog wrote:I was a child raised to depend on TV. Is it really stupid for me to let it go for a WEEK?

To me this is less about TV than it is realizing that, yes, you can live without something that you always thought you HAD TO HAVE.

As long as you don't think it's just TV that you should take a look at, it may be ok. I don't recall a lot of other "don't do x for a week" campaigns. I think we'd all learn a lot more about ourselves if we tried to eat like a vegan for a week. At the least we'd understand why they get all rabid and foamy around the mouth when one infinitescimal particle of cheese wafts over into the grain section at whole foods.

The reason I think it's stupid is because people place so much emphasis on TV being a brainless medium when in fact there is plenty of high quality stuff on it, and the average content is not significantly worse than the average novel or average film. And in fact tends to be a lot more intelligent than a conversation with one of those people who not only doesn't own a tv but goes around insulting people who watch tv.

TAsunder wrote: Most likely the real majority of people participating are the sort that have their thumbs up their anus and go around telling everyone how they don't watch tv because it's brainless fodder for drooling idiots, instead they go to the cinema - where inevitably they watch the latest michael bay film and hail it a masterpiece. Sometimes they read novels instead. Novels like the latest harry potter novel, you know, real high art type stuff.

Quite a strawman you've created there, TA.

Most likely your the sort who's so threatened by any criticism of your 'lifestyle' that you have to manufacture insulting, demeaning and childish stereotypes on which to project your anxieties.

See how that works?

I'm not sure how you can call it a strawman. It's a generalization. One intended to mock in a humorous fashion. I'm not threatened by people I find stupid. You of all people should understand that since you tend to find every other person on the planet stupid.

TAsunder wrote: The reason I think it's stupid is because people place so much emphasis on TV being a brainless medium when in fact there is plenty of high quality stuff on it, and the average content is not significantly worse than the average novel or average film. And in fact tends to be a lot more intelligent than a conversation with one of those people who not only doesn't own a tv but goes around insulting people who watch tv.

My sentiments exactly. I can't remember the last time I watched a sitcom. I've never watched a reality show. I'm really more of a News Hour/Discovery Channel/National Geographic Channel kind of guy. Not that every last thing I watch is brain food, but predominantly yes.

TAsunder wrote:I'm not sure how you can call it a strawman. It's a generalization. One intended to mock in a humorous fashion. I'm not threatened by people I find stupid. You of all people should understand that since you tend to find every other person on the planet stupid.

That's (perhaps unsurprisingly) a rather self-serving interpretation of what you posted. 'Generalization' apparently means 'sheer speculation based on personal prejudice yet couched as fact,' and 'mock in a humorous fashion' equates to 'sneeringly intone a bunch of completely unfunny shit directed towards a construct solely of my own making.'

You should really look into a job with the Bush administration. With your adeptness at vomiting forth intellectually dishonest spin you'd be a natural.

I simply think it's short-sighted and dumb to voluntarily cut one's self off from social information---no matter how skewed or partisan.
Know your enemy.
On the other hand, it's perhaps a good idea to clean out one's filter.
Sigh.
If only my television would fit in my bong.